Occupational therapy
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What is occupational therapy
Occupational therapy (OT) can help you feel more comfortable in your work and everyday activities. Some methods an occupational therapist may use include:
- home or workplace modifications
- mental and mobility exercises
- mental health treatment
Who can receive it
You may be able to receive OT if you have an assessed clinical need and a:
- Veteran Gold Card; or
- Veteran White Card and the treatment is for a condition covered by your card
What you can receive
If you are eligible for OT, your therapist may:
- work out a treatment plan with you to suit your needs
- help you adjust your home or work setting to your needs
- help you improve your mental and physical skills; and
- provide you with aids to make your tasks easier
Make sure you let your OT know about any similar treatments you've had in the past 12 months.
From 1 October 2019, referrals to this service will be under the Allied Health Services treatment cycle. This means that a referral will last for up to 12 sessions or 1 year, whichever ends first.
These treatment cycles place you at the centre of your care and the general practitioner (GP) as your care coordinator.
There are no limits to the number of treatment cycles you can have.
You can also have:
- a separate treatment cycle for each allied health service you need; and
- treatment cycles for different allied health services at the same time
How you access
1. Get a referral to an OT from:
- your general practitioner (GP)
- a medical specialist
- your treating doctor in hospital; or
- a hospital discharge planner
2. Contact the OT to make an appointment. Confirm they will accept your Veteran Gold Card or Veteran White Card for their services.
If you get a bill from your therapist, please contact us before paying anything.
Back to topThings you should know
- If you're treated as a private patient or through Medicare we may not be able to pay for your treatment.
What to tell us
You should tell us if:
- you are billed by your therapist
- the level of help you need changes
- your contact details change; or
- your home address changes